- Requirements: In all competitions, the mat area shall conform to the following

requirements:

- Size: The minimum size shall be 4.9m and the maximum size 6.10m inside the line

of the border line.

RULE II: GLOVES

- Authorized Gloves: Athletes shall wear the gloves which the organizer of the competition has placed at their disposal and which have been approved by the Executive Committee of USMF. Athletes are not allowed to wear their own gloves.

- Specification: The gloves shall weigh 10 ounces (284 grams) of which the leather portion shall not weigh more than half of the total weight and the padding not less than half the total weight. The padding of the gloves shall not be displaced or broken. Only clean and serviceable gloves shall be used.

- USMF glove supervision: All gloves and bandages shall be fitted under the supervision of 1 or 2 knowledgeable officials appointed for that purpose who will see that all the rules have been strictly adhered to. They will delegate security duties to ensure that all rules are observed until the athletes enter the ring.

- When to remove USMF gloves: The gloves shall be taken off immediately after the bout is over and before the decision is announced.

RULE III: BANDAGES

- Specifications: Standard hand wraps 108 cm or 180 cm. The use of any kind of tapes -rubber or adhesive plaster, as bandages, is strictly forbidden, but a single strap of achieve 7.5 cm long and 2.5 wide may be used at the upper wrists to secure the hand wraps.

RULE IV: DRESS CODE

- Authorized Dress: Athletes shall be dressed in accordance with the following:

paying homage before entering the ring. A Krueng-Wrang (Prajiad/arm band)

with an amulet or charm may be worn around the upper arm, biceps or waist

but must be neatly covered. The Mongkon & Prajiad are an athlete’s personal

belongings.

- Gum shields: Gum shields shall be worn by all athletes before they begin fighting.

The gum shield should be form-fitted. It is forbidden for an athlete to intentionally remove their gum shield during the contest and if the athlete does so, the athlete shall be warned or

disqualified. If an athlete has his gum shield knocked out, the referee shall take the athlete to the athlete’s corner – have the gum shield cleaned and returned to its proper position. While this is being done, the second is not allowed to talk to his/her athlete.

- Groin protectors: The use of the groin guard is mandatory. For male athletes, a

metal groin protector shall be worn, a jockstrap may be worn in addition. For female athletes, a female groin protector made from foam shall be worn. To observe hygiene, all athletes both male and female must have their own groin protectors. Should the athletes’ own groin protectors not pass official inspection before the bout, they may use one from the area where they receive the equipment.

- Head-guard: The head-guard is an individual and form fitted item of the athlete’s

equipment. Should the athlete’s own head-guard not pass official inspection

before the bout, they may use one from the area they receive equipment

provided by the organizing committee. The use of the head-guard is mandatory.

It shall conform to USMF specifications. Athletes must come into the ring without

their head guard - only after having been presented to the audience and Wai Kru

has been completed should they put it on. The head guard shall be taken off

immediately after the bout is over and before the decision is announced.

- Shin guards and elbow guards: The use of shin guards and elbow guards is

mandatory. This shall conform to USMF specifications as it is the responsibility

of the organizing committee to provide shin guards and elbow guards to the

athletes.

- Body protector: The use of body protectors is mandatory for all Youth divisions. It shall conform with USMF specifications as it is the responsibility of the organizing committee to provide body protectors to the athlete.

- Head and body cover: Head and body covers may be worn by athletes to comply with

cultural understanding and shall consist of the following: An optional body suit (two

covering the legs and arms to the ankles and wrists, as well as a full sport hijab. Only

USMF approved attire can be used to participate in the competitions.

- Prohibited objects:

The use of grease, Vaseline, rubbing lineament or products likely to be

harmful or objectionable to an opponent on the arms or any other part of the

body is forbidden. A reasonable amount of Vaseline is permitted on the face only

for the purpose of reducing the risk of cuts.

Athletes shall be clean-shaven: Beards and moustaches are not allowed.

- Dress infraction: A referee shall exclude from the bout any athlete who is not wearing the head-guard, groin-guard, gum shield, shin guard, mongkon, elbow guard, and obligatory body protector as well or whoever is not clean and properly dressed. In the event of the athletes’ glove or dress becoming undone during the bout, the referee shall stop the contest to have it attended to.

RULE V: MAT AREA EQUIPMENT

Requirements: The following ring equipment shall be available:

⦁ Table and chairs for officials.

⦁ Gong (with striker) or bell.

⦁ One (preferably two) stop watches.

⦁ Pads of scoring paper conforming to the pattern drawn up by USMF. No need for such

papers if an electronic judging system is used.

⦁ One microphone connected to the loudspeaker system and another for back up.

RULE VI: WEIGH-IN AND WEIGHT CLASSIFICATION FOR

Weight Classification

*Please See Below Rules

- Weigh in

The following shall be the regulations regarding the weigh-in:

The contestants in all weight divisions shall be required to be ready to weigh in on the

first morning of the competition or day before the first competition day as specified by

USMF. The weight is the one shown by the attested scale. The male athlete being in light

underwear only and female athlete in light underwear and a bra top.

RULE VIII: WAI KRU AND ROUNDS

8.1 Wai Kru: Before the first round, every athlete must perform the traditional muaythai ritual of homage “Wai Kru” according to the customs of muaythai. It is not permitted to perform any other form of martial art ritual that is not a conventional part of the art of muaythai. The athletes must at a minimum complete the basic fundamental elements of Wai Kru. The traditional muaythai musical instruments: java pipe, small cymbals and two drums will accompany the ritual. If a live band is not available, it is permissible to use muaythai music played from a DVD or any other electronic source.

8.2 Rounds:

Youths:

For Junior 14-15 & Junior 16-17 it will be 3 rounds of 2 minutes each. A full 1 minute of

rest shall be given between the rounds.

For Junior 12-13 it will be 3 rounds of 1 minute and 30 seconds each. A full 1 minute of

rest shall be given between the rounds.

For Junior 6-11 it will be 3 rounds of 1 minute each. A full 1 minute of rest shall be given

between the rounds.

Stopping of the contest for warnings, cautions, counting, putting clothing or equipment

into order or for any other reason is not included in the period of round. No additional

round may be given.

RULE IX: THE SECOND

- Rules: Each competitor is entitled to 2 seconds who shall be governed by the following rules:

- The second, while officiating in the corner, shall be in possession of a towel for

the athlete. Only one second in competition area. A second may give up for a competitor, and may, when he considers his athlete to be in difficulties, throw the towel into the ring - except when the referee is in the course of counting.

- The chairman of the R/J commission at each tournament shall arrange a joint

meeting of the R/J’s and the seconds who are going to work in each tournament

and emphasize that USMF rules will be followed. A second whom is in violation of

the rules will be disqualified and/or may cause the athlete to be warned or

disqualified.

- No bad advice, bad assistance or bad encouragement shall be given to an athlete

by a second during the progress of the rounds. If a second violates the rules,

he/she may be warned or disqualified. His/her athlete may also be cautioned,

warned or disqualified by the referee for offences committed by his/her seconds.

Any second or official encouraging or inciting spectators by words or signs to

advise or encourage an athlete during the progress of a round shall not be

permitted to continue to act as a second at the tournament where the offense

is committed. If a second is removed by the referee from the corner, he/she shall

not officiate any more in that session of the competition. Once such an official is

removed from the corner by the referee, he/she shall leave the boxing hall for

the remainder of the session. If this happens during a tournament he/she is

removed as a second for that tournament.

- Seconds Attire: No inappropriate clothing is allowed. Shirt with profanity will not be permitted.

RULE X: REFEREES AND JUDGES

- Referee: Each contest shall be controlled by an USMF approved referee who shall officiate in the ring but shall not mark a scoring paper.

- Judges: Each contest shall be marked by 3 USMF judges who shall be seated separately from the public and immediately adjacent to the mat.

- Neutrality: To ensure neutrality, the names of the referee and the judges for each contest shall be selected by the Panel of Jury in accordance with the following directives:

- That each such official shall be an approved referee/judge.

- That each such official shall be of different gym then of the athletes taking part in the contest.

- In the event of it being impossible for the Panel of Jury to apply the above

directives in a particular case they shall resolve the difficulty by ensuring as far as it may

be possible the neutrality and impartiality of the officials appointed, and shall report

the matter as soon as convenient to the USMF.

- Conflict of interest: Persons acting as referees or judges in any contest or tournament

shall not at any time during the same contest or series of contests act as team manager,

trainer or second to any athlete or team of athletes taking part in such a contest or

series of contests or so act in a contest in which a competitor of their nationality is taking

part.

- Disciplinary Action: The USMF, or its duly

authorized representative may, upon the recommendation of the Panel of Jury,

dispense (temporarily or permanently), with the services of any referee who, in its

opinion, does not efficiently enforce the rules of USMF, or any judge whose marking or

scoring of contests it considers not to be satisfactory.

- Replacing the referee during the bout: If a referee is incapacitated in the course of a

bout, the timekeeper shall strike the gong to stop the bout and the next available

neutral referee on the IFMA international list shall be instructed to control the bout and

order boxing to be resumed.

RULE XII: THE JURY AND TECHNICAL OFFICIALS

- The USMF Jury, may also take any immediate action they consider necessary to deal

with circumstances which would prevent proper conduct of a competition at

any session.

- The acting Jury will consult the commission of refereeing and judging with

regards to any decisions or recommendations they may be required to take.

- Should an athlete commit a serious and deliberate offense that is contrary to

the spirit of sportsmanship, the Jury has the right to recommend the Executive

Committee to declare him/her ineligible for competition for a specific period of

time. The Executive Committee or Continental Bureau may deprive him/her of a

medal or prize already won in that competition.

- Overruling the Referee and/or Judges: Decisions of a referee and/or judge may

be overruled by the Jury in the following ways;

(a) When the referee has given a decision which is clear and against the

Articles and Rules of USMF (when considering such an incident, the Jury

may use a videotape recorder or any other electronic piece of

equipment/recording device, etc.).

(b) When it is obvious that the judges have a made a mistake on their score

sheets which results in a wrong verdict.

- Protests: A protest can be lodged by the manager of a team within thirty (30) minutes after. If the Jury agrees to review, necessary action may be taken on the matter.

RULE XIII: THE REFEREE

- Primary concern: The care of the athlete is the primary concern of the referee.